ITC also makes blood testing and related products for hospitals. In 2010, it was purchased by private equity firm Warburg Pincus and had revenue of $70 million to $80 million a year.

When the companies began buyout talks, ITC’s owners were impressed with what Accumetrics had done to improve manufacturing.

“ITC has a market-leading product that they make in New Jersey,” Tibbitts said. “However, I think they believe there is an opportunity to make their product line more efficient. They looked at what the management team had done here in San Diego, and they felt that in our hands, there would be an opportunity to make the existing product even more profitable.”

The company will be in one building in San Diego, as opposed to five buildings in New Jersey, where there wasn’t additional space available nearby to consolidate.

Tibbitts stressed that “this is not a San Diego versus New Jersey story. This is just good manufacturing management, and we have an opportunity to bring it here.”

EcoATM makes recycling kiosks for used cellphones and other electronics. Coinstar/Outerwall was an early investor in ecoATM, seeing similarities with its Redbox DVD rental kiosks. Today, ecoATM’s machines are primarily in large shopping malls. But Outerwall hopes to expand them into many other retailers where it already has a footprint — including grocery stores. Outerwall retained ecoATM’s management team and San Diego headquarters after the acquisition.

Last week, Outerwall slashed its financial guidance for the current quarter, with earnings projected to be lower than previously expected. The company blamed coupons and discounts leading consumers to spend less at Redbox DVD rental stands. It also said it would review growth initiatives such as ecoATM to make sure they provide adequate returns.

So far, that review hasn’t led to changes for Outerwall’s plans for ecoATM. Galen Smith, Outerwall’s chief financial officer, said the company is pleased with ecoATM’s performance.

“With its strong cash flow profile and a potential universe of 5,000 to 10,000 kiosks in the U.S. alone, we believe ecoATM represents an attractive business with a significant opportunity for value creation,” said Smith, in an email response to questions.

LifeProof, which makes protective cellphone cases, was bought by direct competitor Otterbox of Fort Collins, Colo. — a move that typically would lead to a downsizing.

But Marino, the commercial broker, said buyer LifeProof has added 5,000 square feet in San Diego. Otterbox aims to keep the brand and diversify its labor pool by keeping the San Diego operation, he said.

There are a few pending acquisitions that could result in layoffs in San Diego. AT&T is waiting for shareholder and regulatory approval of its $1.2 billion takeover of Leap Wireless, the parent of no-contract wireless operator Cricket Communications.

Though AT&T says it plans to keep the Cricket brand, it is unclear how much of the operation will remain in San Diego.

“Cricket has more head count in the Denver area than in San Diego,” said Rory Moore, head of technology industry trade group CommNexus. “(Leap CEO) Doug Hutcheson has kept Leap here in San Diego in no small way due to his own personal desire and that of his executive team. I just don’t know what will happen there.”